Detroit man sentenced to 20 years for selling drugs at park

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A Detroit man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for selling drugs in a neighborhood park.

Danny Woods, 46, pleaded guilty of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Authorities say he was selling crack cocaine and heroin that was mixed with fentanyl at Sasser Playground, which is near Moross and Harper. He was on parole during that time.

Also while selling, Woods had a loaded gun in his waistband, which he later hid behind a tree in the park. Woods was being watched by the Detroit Police Department and was later arrested, and his case was adopted for federal prosecution.

As part of his plea, Woods agreed that he qualified as a career offender under the sentencing guidelines.

"Parks should be a place where families feel safe to gather," said United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. "We will continue to work closely with our local police partners to prosecute violent offenders who threaten us, so we can protect innocent children and families who just want to enjoy a nice day at the park."

"Danny Lee Woods put innocent lives in danger when he chose to sell drugs and toss a handgun in a public park," said Special Agent in Charge James Deir. "Instead of improving his life following previous felony convictions, Woods continued to break the law. ATF stands with our law enforcement partners to rid our community of dangerous individuals."

"We certainly appreciate the partnership of our federal partners and commend the great work by the men and women of this department," said Detroit Police Chief James Craig. "Our families deserve to have safe and drug free parks and we will not tolerate behavior that will compromise the well-being of our residents. We will continue our efforts in working with our federal agencies in attacking the drug epidemic that plagues our society and dampens the quality of life within our communities."